2008 Hazel Wolf Environmental Film Festival - films

Films

The festival includes over 50 films and shorts!

The Agony of the Ganges (52 min, India)
By the end of the second millennium, as the Aryans spread southward to cover the entire Indo-Gangetic plain, the Ganges became their most sacred river. Of all the places along the Ganga, Benares is perhaps the oldest living city in the world. Because of the overwhelming reverential impact of the Ganges on hundreds of millions of Hindus, a real-life paradox today haunts the citizens of Benares. For how long can they continue to ignore the gap between the ritual purity of the river and its actual level of cleanliness? Today, this divide is so wide that combined with global warming and climate change, it threatens the very life of the river and its source, the Gangotri glacier. (Sudhesh Unniraman, 2008, web site)

Ahmed and the return of the Arab Phoenix (23 min, Italy)
A handful of individuals are fighting to protect what is left of the biodiversity of Al Badia, the desert steppe stretching from the Iraqi border to almost the Mediterranean coast. Their efforts are rewarded by the discovery of the last middle eastern colony of the Bald Ibis in the wild, one of the rarest migratory birds and a symbol of wisdom for the Bedouins. (Giuseppe Bucciarelli, 2007, web site)

The Alps (45 min, USA)
Our guide on this adventure is John Harlin III, a writer and mountaineer who has come to Switzerland for the expedition of his lifetime—an attempt to climb the much-feared Eiger North Face forty years after the same mountain claimed the life of his famous climbing legend father, John Harlin II. Climbing with him on this emotional journey are renowned European climbers, Robert and Daniela Jasper. Together, they will help John make history in honor of his father’s memory. Featuring some of the most spectacular IMAX theatre footage ever, The Alps celebrates the pristine natural beauty of these grand mountainous locales and the spirit of the people who call them home. (Stephen Judson, 2007, web site)

The Beggars in Addis Ababa (45 min, Denmark)
A short documentary about extreme poverty in Ethiopia, where drought and climate change make people struggle for survival. Food shortages lead two women, Zemu and Belay, to leave their small village with their children and travel to Addis Ababa to beg. The family left behind is supported by the money Zemu and Belay make as beggars. When the women return, Zemu hears rumors that her husband has donated some of her pots to another women. (Jakob Gottschau, 2007, web site)

The Carbon Connection (40 min, Scotland/Brazil)
Two communities affected by one new global market – the trade in carbon dioxide. In Scotland a town has been polluted by oil and chemical companies since the 1940s. In Brazil local people’s water and land is being swallowed up by destructive monoculture eucalyptus tree plantations. Both communities now share a new threat. The film follows the story of two groups of people from each community who learned to use video cameras and made their own films about living with the impacts of the carbon market. From mental health issues in Scotland to the loss of medicinal plants in Brazil, the communities discover the connections they share. (Fenceline Films with Transnational Institute’s Environmental Justice Project and Carbon Trade Watch, 2007, web site)

Cartoneros (60 min, Argentina)
Exposes the way in which thousands of unemployed workers come daily into the city of Buenos Aires in order to sort and sell the garbage that neighbors leave behind every evening on their doorsteps. We see cartoneros that work independently as well as those who have created coops in order to protect themselves from abusive middle management. The documentary follows the trash through the whole process: from the neighborhood’s sidewalk all the way to the paper mill. The film also offers a reflection on the relation between garbage and art. (Ernesto Livon-Grosman, 2006, web site)

Children of Armageddon (95 min, Canada)
In the face of a potential nuclear renaissance, this moving account explores the legacy of nuclear arms through the lives of four young women. We meet Maki, granddaughter of a Hiroshima bombing survivor; Evelyn, a young student exiled from her contaminated home in the Marshall Islands; Maurea, a young Tahitian activist; and Annie, a young activist in anti-nuclear New Zealand. With the participation of Noam Chomsky, Hans Blix, Judge C.G. Weeramantry, Arjun Makhijani, and Douglas Roche. (Fabienne Lips-Dumas and Sylvie Peltier, 2008, web site)

Conversing with Aotearoa/New Zealand (15 min, New Zealand, USA)
In an age of technological integration and urban life, people turn to the natural world for a wilderness experience. What draws us to the remote corners of land and sea when we realize something in our live is missing? In this animated documentary, New Zealanders attempt to fathom their deep, personal connection with their land. Shot and animated entirely in New Zealand, director and animator Corrie Francis uses a collage of animation techniques to convey not only the richness of the landscape but the stories it holds. Voices of hunters and trampers, fishermen and farmers, mountaineers, adventure-racers, conservationists, ecologists, artists, Pakeha, Maori and tourists lead us through a visual journey of the wildernesses we find both without and within ourselves. (Corrie Francis, 2006, web site)

Cuba: The Accidental Revolution (Part 1) (45 min, Canada)
Examines Cuba’s response to the food crisis created by the collapse of the Soviet Bloc in 1989. At one time, Cuba’s agrarian culture was as conventional as the rest of the world’s. Cuba experienced its first ‘Green Revolution’ when Russia was supplying the country with chemical and mechanical inputs. However, the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1989 ended all of that, and almost overnight threw Cuba’s whole economic system into crisis. (Ray Burley, 2006, web site)

Destination Earth (3 min, USA)
NASA is infamous for exploring strange new worlds, but it may be that the most important planet NASA studies is… our own. Watch and discover the amazing ways in which scientists at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center are studying Earth from space. Dozens of satellites provide a unique perspective on our home planet and allows us to see our world as only NASA can. (Liz Smith, 2007, web site)

Dirty Job (21 min, India)
A film about the lowest caste women in India known as scavengers. Scavenging is a profession that consists in cleaning human excreta from dry toilets in private houses without modern toilet facilities. The Indian NGO Sulabh is doing extensive work to avoid this practice, placing toilets systems all over the country. Sulabh also trains the women in new skills so they may find other work. (Luciana Kaplan, 2006)

Echoes of Cry of the Marsh (59 min, USA)
Explores the issue of wetland restoration through the eyes of Bob Hartkopf, who has worked more than 40 years to restore the marsh near his family farm in rural Minnesota. In the 1960s, Hartkopf produced a short film called Cry of the Marsh. With only a single 16mm camera, Hartkopf created a stunning portrait of drained wetlands, devastated wildlife, flood-prone conditions, and an environment cutoff from humans. The film received considerable acclaim, but Hartkopf is still waiting to see those wetlands return. (Mike Cihak, 2007, web site)

Everything’s Cool (89 min, USA)
A film about America finally “getting” global warming in the wake of the most dangerous chasm ever to emerge between scientific understanding and political action. While industry-funded naysayers sing what just might be their swan song of pseudo-scientific deception, a group of self-appointed global warming messengers are on a high-stakes quest to find the iconic image, the magic language, the points of leverage that will finally create the political will to move the United States from its reliance on fossil fuels to the new, clean energy economy—AND FAST. Hold on… this is bigger than changing your light bulbs. (Daniel B. Gold and Judith Helfand, 2006, web site)

Fighting Fire with Fire (44 min, Canada)
Takes audiences onto the fire line and brings them face-to-face with raging fires that are literally unstoppable. This provocative film raises questions about conventional methods of fighting fire, and whether decades of suppressing fire have simply made matters worse. The long-standing lesson taught by Smokey the Bear goes out the window as a new controversial approach to fighting fire is examined. (Michelle Metivier, 2007 US release, web site)

Fish and Cow (17 min, USA)
The Big Hole Valley lies in the southwest corner of Montana. High, cold, and remote, it is home to one of the last surviving populations of a unique and sensitive species of fish, the fluvial Arctic grayling. This film is a story about a group of dedicated ranchers and biologists finding common ground, not only to try and save this fish, but also to try and preserve the ecological health of the Big Hole Valley itself. (Geoff Stephens and Rick Smith, 2007, web site)

Fisheye Fantasea (8 min, USA)
To understand a world not designed for human eyes, we need to see it from a different point of view. Invisible colors, eye metamorphosis, secret wavelengths and vision beyond anything we can perceive. How they see, what they see and the astonishing discovery that in their world, we’re virtually blind. (Guy Chaumette and Anita Chaumette, 2007, web site)

In Harm’s Way (25 min, USA)
Chronicles how a community is responding to a harmful algal bloom that is killing sea lions and brown pelicans off the coast of Southern California. With both heart wrenching footage and heartwarming success stories, the film explores the scientific complexities of the bloom and what is being done to help the animals. (Lauren Farrar, 2006/2007)

Íslenska: On the Road to Unearth Iceland’s Secrets (27 min, France, USA)
Lured by timeless volcanoes, sweeping glaciers, and medieval landscapes, three journalists and friends descend on Iceland, an island of mystery and intrigue, isolated high in the North Atlantic Ocean, cresting the artic circle. The trio aims to ski the country’s impressive volcanoes’ glaciers and share a lighthearted journey together. But they are also committed to unearth Iceland’s untold stories, whether it’s the overwhelming forces of nature, the country’s remarkable sustainable energy usage, or secret myths sewn in the tapestry of the culture for hundreds of years. (Cécile Cusin, 2007)

It’s All a Lie (10 min, UK)
In September, 2007, Environmental Justice Foundation investigators visited the northeast coast of Brazil where a proposal for a shrimp farm the size of London’s Heathrow airport would turn coastal forests into a virtual wasteland, destroying sustainable livelihoods and threatening marine habitats. The film illustrates the delusion of local residents due to false promises made by the shrimp farming industry for jobs and a better life, and shows the devastation caused to alert Caravela’s residents of the activity’s reality. (Environmental Justice Foundation, 2007, web site)

Last Yoik in Saami Forests? (60 min, Finland)
For 50 years, heavy logging has leveled forests of Finnish Lapland, including in the indigenous Saami people’s home area. Traditional reindeer herding, dependent on old growth forests, is threatened but the logging continues despite protests. In spring 2005 Saami reindeer herders made an alliance with Greenpeace, which established a Forest Rescue Station in the wilderness of Inari. The loggers build an "antiterror infocamp" nearby. The documentary follows the conflict and its sources and seeks alternatives. What kind of silvicultural alternatives exists that respect the special quality of Lappish wood? (Hannu Hyvönen, 2007, web site)

Lednice / The Fridge (7 min, Czech Republic)
A short, metaphoric film about global warming. What would happen if, one day, a man forgets to close his fridge? At first, when climate inside the fridge begins to change, everything seems so positive. All is sprouting and blossoming, chickens hatching from the eggs…. But soon the new inhabitants of the fridge face incipient catastrophe. The film takes on a serious theme with humour and exaggeration, not to push, but to open discussion. (Lucie Stamfestova, 2007)

Lilliputi Mimikri (30 min, Hungary)
Of all marine creatures the smallest are the hardest to film. Due to their size and their amazing ability to hide, they are almost invisible to the human eye. By applying special camera techniques and using the help of experienced ‘critter hunters,’ these sea critters are at last brought to the screen! Underwater cameraman and wildlife-filmmaker Dávid Attila Molnár gives an amazing introduction into the hidden world of marine liliputians. While underwater, he talks live to a group of schoolchildren listening outside. Special sound and visual effects, animations and fantastic wildlife stories. A joyful, happy documentary suitable for every age! (Dávid Attila Molnár, 2007, web site)

Living Lightly (24 min, USA)
Offers a magical glimpse into a world where one 21st-century family lives with the land in its seasons. On their farm, the Vidos practice the ancient craft of scything as meditation in action. For Peter Vido, his wife Faye, and their three children, the scythe is their instrument and their passion, its whispering sound the leitmotif of an inspiring ensemble. Against a stunning landscape, the Vidos exemplify one way we might heal our relationship with Earth. (Robin Burke, 2006, web site)

Malawi: Its Future (13 min, Malawi, USA)
The lack of rainfall aggravates the already acute poverty situation in the world’s fourth poorest country. This documentary provides a record of the current conditions in Malawi and the improvements achieved through the work of Washington State University’s partner, Total LandCare. (Brian Maki, 2007)

Malkolm the Birder Boy—Quest for the Bluethroat (14 min)
The conservation battle over the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge has been fought by many interests: multinational oil companies, conservation groups, Aboriginal peoples, and the Bush administration. In Malkolm the Birder Boy, Malkolm gives a youth perspective. Malkolm Boothroyd traveled in the Arctic Refuge six times before his 13th birthday. During the trip captured in this film, Malkolm relates his search for a tiny bird that migrates from Asia to nest in the Arctic Refuge… and his thoughts about what oil development would do to the fragile Arctic environment. (Ken Madsen, 2005, web site)

My Name is Pochsy (7 min, Canada)
Pochsy (pronouned ‘Poxy’) works at Mercury Packers… where she packs mercury. This is Pochsy’s film: a mercury-addled meditation on life, death, karmic reckoning and the future of the human soul. Set against the stark, spectacular backdrop of northern Canada’s industrial landscapes, My Name is Pochsy is a trans-genre ode to the industrial propaganda films from an era gone by. It is also a scathing satire for our times. With score by Tony Award-winner Greg Morrison. Winner: Kodak Canada Award for Best Canadian Short, EIFF 2007. (Karen Hines, 2007, web site)

NORTHLAND: Long Journey (18 min, Canada)
A meditation on the filmmaker’s quest for new truths regarding her father’s death from occupational illness thirty years prior. Filmed in and around a small mining community in Northwestern Ontario, the process of making the film became a forensic review and a legal challenge to appeal the refusal of survivor benefits to the filmmaker’s widowed mother. (Edie Steiner, 2007, web site)

Oak #419 (52 min, Germany, USA)
A 400-year-old oak tree is to be cut down to make way for a highway. The new roadway is to lead to the next projected development, with 20,000 housing units, in the ever growing urban sprawl of Los Angeles County. Oak #419 is a documentary about the protest movement to try to save this tree, led by John Quigley who spent 71 days living on its limbs. The movement became much bigger than just this tree, drawing not only people from all over, but also receiving great media attention. The occupied tree became the proverbial "line in the sand" between nature and the voracious development of Los Angeles. (Robert Harding Pittman, 2006, web site)

Oil + Water (55 min, USA)
Two kayakers embark on the longest-ever, biofuels-only road trip: 35,000 kilometers from Alaska to Argentina in a retro-fitted Japanese fire truck named Baby. The friends converted their regular diesel engine to run on any kind of natural oil and followed an endless summer journey for over a year through 16 countries. They collaborated with schools, local governments, farmers, agricultural research centers and media to conduct demonstrations advocating for the use of alternative energy all along the way. Come ride along with the boys and see how their epic journey unfolds. (Seth Warren and Tyler Bradt, 2007, web site)

OPPOSABLE CHUMS: Guts & Glory at The World Series of Birding (65 min, USA)
“Competitive bird watching” may sound like an oxymoron, but it makes perfect sense to the participants of The World Series of Birding who convene for one day each spring to see which international team can identify the most bird species in 24 hours within the New Jersey state borders. Participants include some of the field’s best known experts, including Roger Tory Peterson, David Allen Sibley, Kenn Kaufman, and Pete Dunne. In capturing this eccentric blend of camaraderie, competitiveness, and compassion, “OPPOSABLE CHUMS: Guts & Glory at The World Series of Birdwatching” may be the first nature documentary comedy. (Jason Kessler, 2007, web site)

The Old Man and the Seal (1 min, USA)
A comical arctic adventure. (Michael Clark, 2007)

The Ordinary Heroes of Afghanistan (21 min, India)
Operating with the conviction that ‘experts’ don’t have all the answers and technology can be demystified, the Barefoot College applies entrepreneurial creativity to the most complex development problems, yielding extraordinary results. The film shows how the Barefoot College works with five villages in Afghanistan to train Barefoot Solar Engineers in India. For less than the cost of hiring one UN or World Bank consultant for one year, these ordinary heroes solar electrify the villages for five years. (Bunker Roy, 2006)

Out Of The Mist (27 min, USA)
Chronicles the untold story of the Pygmies of the Bwindi rain forest in Uganda, Africa. Many people are familiar with the plight of the gorillas who were studied for years in the 1980s by Diane Fossey. Few know that in order to protect these "Gorillas in the Mist," the Pygmy tribes inhabiting the dense forest were forced by the government to relocate into open, unfamiliar, clear cut settlements. Now as conservation refugees, they are at risk of losing their culture and their lives. (Francesca Roveda, 2007, web site)

Papiroflexia (3 min, USA)
Papiroflexia (Spanish for “Origami”) is the animated tale of Fred, a skillful paper folder who could shape the world with his hands. Originally created as a poem by the director, it was turned into a short animated film in the UCLA Animation Workshop. (Joaquin Baldwin, 2007, web site)

A Passion For Sustainability (57 min, USA)
This film gets up-close and personal with a host of Portland, Oregon’s business leaders subscribing to the principles of something called ‘The Natural Step.’ What is The Natural Step? It’s a scientific approach businesses are using to become more sustainable. Founded nearly twenty years ago by Swedish oncologist, Dr. Karl-Henrik Robert, The Natural Step has been accepted world-wide. But Portland, Oregon is currently home to the only Natural Step organization in the US. (Eric Stacey, 2007, web site)

Ploverized (20 min, USA)
A "plover-eye" view of life in northern California, with all the trials and triumphs of a vanishing shorebird, and those who fight to save them. Facing habitat loss, nest predators, and constant human disturbance, the story of the snow plover is a case study in conservation biology that reveals a close connection between humans and endangered species. (Will Goldenberg, 2007)

Really? (4 min, Canada)
When we take much of the earth as ours to behold and control, "Really?" shows us a different perspective. Shot in a small area of only a few hundred square feet in a cove in Canada’s majestic St-Lawrence river, "Really?" opens just a small window in the daily life of a few odd and little known living organisms who thrive and struggle in this rich, yet near freezing, underwater world. Extrapolating this little secluded cove to a planetary scale, one can easily wonder about a very different perception of life and death on earth. (Daniel Villeneuve, 2007, web site)

Renewal (88 min, USA)
The first feature-length documentary to capture the inspiring stories of America’s religious-environmental movement. The film presents eight grassroots action portraits about people of different faith traditions who are being spiritually motivated to make a significant difference in how we care for the earth. Stories include evangelicals standing up against mountaintop removal in Appalachia; people of faith and scientists in Mississippi confronting decades of industrial-induced health problems; Interfaith Power and Light; and several more. (Marty Ostrow, 2007, web site)

River Ways (85 min, USA)
Explores the lives of regular working people affected by the issue of whether to remove four dams on the Snake River in Eastern Washington. Environmental groups and fishing interests criticize the dams for their negative impact on salmon populations, but agricultural communities dependent on the dams oppose efforts to remove them. Combining interviews with careful everyday observation, and set against the scenic backdrop of the Pacific Northwest, “River Ways” takes us into the world of tribal and commercial fishermen, wheat farmers, salmon advocates and more. What emerges is a complex portrait of an issue that reaches to the heart of the ideological differences that characterize and divide the Pacific Northwest. (Colin Stryker, 2007, web site)

RiverWebs (58 min, USA)
RiverWebs examines the remarkable world of river ecosystems and the science that explores them through the dramatic story of an important Japanese ecologist, Dr. Shigeru Nakano. Nakano’s inspiring life, tragic death, and enduring legacy illustrate the strength of curiosity, the fragility of life, and the interconnectedness of our world. (Jeremy Monroe, 2007, web site)

San Francisco—Still Wild at Heart (55 min, USA)
As San Francisco grapples with what it means to have coyotes as new residents, along comes San Francisco-Still Wild At Heart, a compelling one-hour natural history film that chronicles the return of coyotes to this city’s landscape. Lyrical in style, the film is a virtual case study of the coyote’s arrival in urban America, as it explores the complexity, conflicts, and richness of this fertile interface between urban life and wild nature. (Melissa Peabody, 2007, web site)

Secret World of Gardens: Fungi (22 min, Canada)
Fungi occupy every corner of the garden, and the mushrooms we see are only the tip of the iceberg. Underneath these fruiting bodies lies a massive interwoven network of fibers that extends for miles in the soil. Your garden, and indeed the whole planet, is virtually overrun, and yet we know very little about the intimate connection between fungi and many of our favorite plants and trees. (David New, 2004, web site)

Shadow of the Salmon (44 min, USA)
The story of a young man from the Lakota Nation who visits his Pacific Northwest Coastal Salish relatives. During his visit he discovers many things, witnesses the annual Canoe Journey and helps respond to an environmental crisis. Shot on location throughout the Pacific Northwest. (Michael Pearce, 2007, web site)

Shifting Currents (15 min, USA)
A student-produced documentary of Eagle Harbor High School’s involvement with the federal removal of two dams on the Olympic Peninsula’s Elwha River. Mentored through Bainbridge Island Television and based at Olympic Park Institute, the students highlight the journey of the river as well as their reflections on issues of social justice and environmental sustainability. The film became more than a document of the students’ activities on the Elwha and their respect for the involvement of the Lower Elwha Klallam tribe in river renewal; it became their statement about the need for change. Shifting Currents represents not only the shifts in the river as the dams are removed but also a shift in a generational attitude toward environmental issues. (Eagle Harbor High School, 2007)

Sinnerman (1 min, USA)
A public service announcement for TV released by the Wallace Genetic Foundation to inspire environmental stewardship. Cut to the song, "Sinnerman," as performed by the late Nina Simone, the spot makes it clear that individuals can choose to change the world for the better or worse. “Sinnerman’s” journey begins in the polluted environment he has created and/or ignored. It continues into a world where people choose to protect the environment. This journey brings “Sinnerman” to the realization that he can choose the legacy he leaves behind for future generations. (Wayne Westbrook, 2008, web site)

The Story of Stuff (21 min, USA)
From its extraction through sale, use and disposal, all the stuff in our lives affects communities at home and abroad, yet most of this is hidden from view. The Story of Stuff is a 20-minute, fast-paced, fact-filled look at the underside of our production and consumption patterns. The Story of Stuff exposes the connections between a huge number of environmental and social issues, and calls us together to create a more sustainable and just world. It’ll teach you something, it’ll make you laugh, and it just may change the way you look at all the stuff in your life forever. (Annie Leonard and Louis Fox, 2007, web site)

Suicycle (59 sec, USA)
A look at what goes in, what goes out, and how everything we swallow gives the environment a case of indigestion. An animated short with a darkly comic style at odds with the subject matter. (Steve Klinetobe, 2007, web site)

Suncookers (18 min, Kenya, USA)
Shot in Kenya in 2006, this film follows Magaret Owino of Solar Cookers International in Nairobi as she teaches refugees how to use solar cooking. Deforestation in Kenya has made firewood and charcoal incredibly scarce and expensive. Solar cooking is cheaper than the limited and costly firewood and helps prevent further deforestation. As SuNews in Kenya reports, “For millions of people living in dry, fuel scarce regions, solar cookers can literally save lives.” (DeeDee Halleck, 2007, web site)

Thorn to Be Wild (10 min, USA)
A student-directed short documenting the ongoing restoration of Seattle’s largest forest, the West Duwamish Greenbelt. It tells the story of the Nature Consortium’s volunteer-fueled efforts to replace harmful invasive species with a diversity of long-lived native trees and understory plants. The film paired students from Seattle-area schools with local filmmakers and environmental activists. Includes original songs and scoring by youth. (Teen students with Carey Christie, 2008, web site)

Tirol—Land of Water (8 min, Austria)
Dedicated to the beauty and treasure of water in the setting of the impressive mountains of Tirol: glaciers, waterfalls, lakes and rivers reflect the fascinating magic of this precious and vital element running through the "Heart of the Alps." (Johannes Koeck, 2006)

Tomorrow’s Baja (16 min, Mexico, USA)
Showcases Baja’s distinctive and endangered wildlife and the abundant yet fragile marine environment of the peninsula, while presenting the impact of development on its land, oceans, and people. The film investigates current growth trends and offers solutions for sensible and sustainable development for Baja California. (Yves Garceau and Spence Palermo, 2007, web site)

Unexpected Things Come Together on the River (6 min, USA)
A short film produced by American Rivers about the removal of Marmot Dam on Oregon’s Sandy River. Local citizens—including the mayor, the dam owner, a teacher, a fisherman, a kayaker and a business owner—talk about why restoring the river’s health is important. The film also captures the excitement of this time in the Pacific Northwest as we anticipate major river restoration efforts on other rivers like the Elwha, White Salmon, and Rogue. (Amy Kober, 2007, web site)

The Water Bearer (52 min, Canada)
The quest for fresh water leads Indonesians of Catholic and Muslim descent to work together, along with Quebecer Gilles Raymond. They establish direct democracy after thirty-two years of dictatorship. A road movie in which solidarity overcomes defeatism and generosity wins over corruption. (Pascal Gelinas, 2007, web site)

The Water Front (53 min, USA)
What if you lived by the largest body of fresh water in the world but could no longer afford to use it? Residents of Highland Park, Michigan, known as the birthplace of the auto-industry, have received water bills as high as $10,000; they have had their water turned off, their homes foreclosed, and are struggling to keep water, a basic human right, from becoming privatized. The Water Front is the story of an American city in crisis but it is not just about water. The story touches on the very essence of our democratic system and is an unnerving indication of what is in store for residents around the world facing their own water struggles. (Liz Miller, 2007, web site)

We Feed the World (96 min, Austria)
We Feed the World is a film about food and globalization, fishermen and farmers, long-distance truck drivers and high-powered corporate executives, the flow of goods and cash flow; a film about scarcity amid plenty. With its unforgettable images, the film provides insight into the production of our food and answers the question, "what does world hunger have to do with us?" (Erwin Wagenhofer, 2005, web site)

What’s With the Water? (1 min, Germany, USA)
This short is a PSA-style fantasy showing a normal fellow going through his morning routine with no water. At first, the film subtly clues the viewer in to the lack of water, and then less subtly when the protagonist meets some other young professionals on his way to work. (Douglas Williamson, 2007)

When Clouds Clear / Después de la Neblina (77 min, Ecuador, USA)
A gripping story of human survival and sacrifice. Junín, a remote Ecuadorian town of 270 people, has managed to preserve their cloud forest and water sources against the intrusion of international mining companies. The people fight to keep their community free of contamination and are often forced to take an extreme approach in their resistance. The economic pressures of foreign companies have caused much confusion, greed, and division within families and between communities. Junín has banished those who support mining. The narrator is a 14-year-old boy who has continued his education in order keep mining out. His outlook is optimistic and he believes the fractured relationships between families will one day be repaired. (Anne Slick and Danielle Bernstein, 2007, web site)

The Wild Turkey Experiment (24 min, Canada)
Fifty years ago, a rural community in southern Manitoba introduced the wild turkey 750 kilometers north of its natural range. The bird thrived. But forty years later, the bird entered the nearby city of Winnipeg. Some people wanted them all removed. All began asking questions about the bird’s introduction. The film compares the rural to the urban experience and tells how careful management has, so far, been the story of the bird’s success. (John Whiteway, 2007)

Wolves in Paradise (56 min, USA)
In the decade after the top predator was restored to Yellowstone National Park, ranchers and wildlife experts have struggled to keep the wolves from killing cattle and sheep without violating the Endangered Species Act. Wolves in Paradise tells the inside story of wolf reintroduction from all points of view, from livestock growers to park biologists to conservationists to politicians, and weighs its impact on both the ecology of the region and the lives of its residents. An alliance is growing between conservationists, government agencies and ranchers who seek creative solutions to allow wolves, livestock and ranchers to coexist in the soaring mountains and majestic valleys of southwest Montana. (William Campbell, 2007, web site)

World Water Forum ads (1 min each, Mexico)
The Fourth World Water Forum was held in Mexico City in March 2006, gathering 20,000 people from around the world to participate in working sessions under the theme, "local actions for a global challenge." Shower and Lips were produced as one-minute promotional pieces. (Sergio Muñoz, 2006)

Woven Ways (49 min, USA)
Shares the stories of the Navajo people, the land, and livestock that sustain their culture and economy and the environmental issues that threaten their health and well-being. Our nation’s thirst for energy is creating deadly consequences for the Navajo. Much of the uranium for nuclear power plants and valuable deposits of coal, oil and gas lay beneath the reservation. Told in their own words with no narration, Woven Ways is a lyrical testimony to Navajo beauty and hope in the face of grave environmental injustice. Shot amid dramatic desert landscapes, the film chronicles each family’s steady resolve to hold on to what is sacred—the land, air and water; not for themselves, but for generations that will come. (Linda Helm Krapf, 2007, web site)

Your Environmental Road Trip (Shorts of varying length, USA)
We’re showing a few shorts from the YERT (Your Environmental Road Trip) DVD. Here’s how the YERT folks describe their project: “YERT is a year-long eco-expedition through all 50 United States. With video camera in hand and tongue in cheek, we’re exploring the landscape of America’s unique approach to environmental sustainability. We believe that Americans want to do the right thing - they just don’t want to look strange doing it, and they don’t have the time or the means to explore all the options. That’s where the YERT team comes in. Follow us each week as we shamelessly bathe ourselves in the best (and weirdest) of America’s ecological progress with a mix of outrageous antics, provocative examples, and thoughtful reporting. Got an idea? Want a clue? Let’s get rolling!” (web site)